14 Clothing Startups With Cutting Edge Technology for the Fashion Industry

Clothing startups solve problems that shoppers and retailers encounter. With their innovative use of technology, these companies revolutionize fashion - an industry worth over $3,000 billion .

Producing and distributing clothing items has many aspects, which include anything from production to marketing. And it's not without some problems along the way. There is the concern of reducing waste byproducts or getting fashion items to a specific target market.

That is why clothing startups identify these issues and address them through new methods.

These firms aim to innovate the manufacturing and marketing of clothes.

Let's take a look at clothing startups providing innovations for the fashion industry. Some of these clothing startups formulate patented biochemical technology while the majority develop IT solutions. Here we define them according to the specific issue that they're solving.

Sustainable Fabrics

Fabric sustainability is a significant concern in the clothing industry due to the waste that it produces. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 11.3 million tons of textile wastes end up in landfills. For these startups, it's all about providing a sustainable alternative in making clothes. They integrate science to create fabrics that do not yield as much waste as traditional methods.

1. Agraloop

Agraloop is a natural fiber sourced from agricultural plants from the clothing startup Circular Systems. Aside from crops, the startup also uses food and medicine leftovers. Combining bio-energy and biochemistry, they transform food crop wastes into a BioFibre - a natural, biodegradable fiber that clothing companies can use as a fabric material.

2. Azolla

The biotech startup Azolla produces a carbon-negative textile fiber with its proprietary synthetic biology method. The firm uses carbon dioxide as the main element to produce textile. It's an alternative to relying on traditional sources like cotton plants. The process eliminates the associated toxic wastes and makes fabric out of "thin air" only.

Innovative Dyeing

Another issue with the mass manufacturing of clothes is the amount of wastewater and chemicals used when dyeing them. Additionally, some of the chemicals and solvents are harmful to the environment. The World Bank was able to identify 72 toxic components in textile dyeing. These companies choose to address this problem by their innovative dyeing procedure.

3. DyeCoo

DyeCoo proudly states that their dyeing process does not use water or chemical processes. What they use instead is carbon dioxide through its patented CO2 dyeing technology. The company aims to supply manufacturers with a water-free and chemical-free dyeing process for textiles.

4. Werewool

Werewool develops biodegradable fibers through their innovative use of science. What they do is simulate fabric production by looking into the DNA components of fiber. The result is a fabric with the desired color without the harmful chemical reactions required to produce its appearance.

Shopping Apps

While online shopping apps are common nowadays, these clothing startups cater to the needs of wardrobe shoppers. In the U.S. alone, eCommerce contributes to 46% of retail apparel sales . With such a lucrative market of online shoppers, it's no wonder why there's a need for clothing startups to cater to particular demographics. These firms integrate features and functions that make it easier for shoppers to buy clothes based on their preferred buying method.

5. Bonobos

Bonobos found out that men wear standard designs and sizes and have limited choices of clothes that fit. Thus, they prefer to serve the male population with clothes that fit them properly. Bonobos manufactures clothes with ergonomic designs for men, such as their trademark curved waistband pants design.

6. Depop

Depop acts as a community-based app to buy and sell clothing items. The social-sharing approach helps consumers connect and share wardrobe ideas with like-minded fashion shoppers. Their visual interface is reminiscent of Instagram, with the option to like a photo or follow the user.

7. Reflaunt

The second-hand marketplace Reflaunt allows shoppers to resell their clothes to the brand manufacturer. In return, the shopper will then receive shopping credits to buy new items. The process aims to cultivate a circular fashion environment between manufacturers, shoppers, and retailers.

8. Smartzer

With Smartzer , it's easy to transform your videos into an interactive online shopping experience. The platform provides a product tagging feature so viewers can click on a clothing item and go directly to the buying stage.

9. Snap Vision

Snap Vision is a platform that allows shoppers to capture clothes and find similar items. Whether it's the same color, styling, equivalent apparel, or exact product, Snap Vision displays various choices.

Curated Styling

Stylish clothes, such as luxury brands, are at times expensive or hard to find. For those who want to experience luxury, 26% buy pre-owned products instead. That's why these clothing startups make designer brands, luxury staples, and other exclusive fashion items accessible. They make it easy for shoppers to look stylish in a sustainable fashion.

10. Wardrobe of Tomorrow

Luxury brands are notorious for producing a piece of clothing via non environmentally friendly means. Thus, Wardrobe of Tomorrow brings sustainable luxury brands online, making them accessible for those who want to buy and wear cruelty-free luxury clothes. It is their goal to make luxury fashion more sustainable without sacrificing the expensive look.

11. Lyst

Lyst is a global fashion search platform with items from different brands and retailers around the world. They provide personalized recommendations for each user, picking from their selection of 8 million items. Lyst users can sport their desired look with its vast assortment of fashion items - anything from luxury to streetwear.

12. Hurr Collective

An alternative to purchasing luxury clothing is by renting designer dresses at Hurr Collective . The platform is a marketplace for renters and people willing to lend their luxury fashion pieces. It's a more sustainable and eco-friendly alternative than buying brand-new designer items that a shopper may only use a few times.

Digital Retail

Retail business is moving towards digital transformation as 77% of retailers now plan to use AI systems. However, thanks to these clothing startups, brands and retailers can now digitize their operations. They provide companies with tools to connect with shoppers and gain insights into the demands of their market.

13. Presize

A limitation with online shopping is that buyers can't physically fit clothes, only determining them from baseline sizes and photos. To solve this, Presize makes a user scan their body to produce exact measurements. A shop can then integrate the app to suggest items to people based on their body measurements.

14. Heuritech

The platform takes away the manual process of identifying upcoming fashion design trends. Heuritech has an artificial intelligence technology that forecasts what's going to be the next trending design. They derive this prediction from social media images and signals from influencers.

How Do I Start My Own Clothing Company?

If the clothing startups inspire you to go beyond and create your own clothing company, you need to consider the following:

Design and Concept - Start by identifying the design or look of your clothes. Then align it with the concept that you're eyeing that you know will have a target market.

Supplier - A clothing company can have several suppliers for the fabric, threads to use, equipment, and many others. Additionally, you'll also need to partner with firms that can help you with distribution and marketing.

Sales and Marketing - To spread the word about your clothing company, you need a marketing strategy. Include in your plan how you will advertise your items and where you're going to sell them - whether on your website, app, or shopping platforms.

These are just some of the steps to get you started. To further assist you in building a clothing company, third-party firms can help you with the design or marketing aspects.

Delesign, for instance, can provide you with a designer to work on your shirt designs. Creative designers from Delesign can conceptualize graphic designs you can use for your clothing company. Upon subscribing, Delesign will assign a dedicated graphic designer to work with you. The on-demand graphic design service comes with unlimited projects and revisions, allowing you to produce as many designs as you require.